Recent Posts: News Buzz Musings

By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS The FBI’s investigation into collusion between President Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election is getting closer to the president. On Thursday, May 26, 2017, the media reported that White House advisor and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner is a focus of the FBI‘s investigation. The […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS Former FBI Director James Comey will definitely make a splash when he returns to Capitol Hill after Memorial Day. The Senate Intelligence Committee announced on Friday, May 19, 2017, that Comey will be testifying at a public hearing, the date has not been set. The FBI Director will be […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS President Donald Trump is making his first public remarks on the appointment of a Special Counsel to investigate Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump commented on Thursday, May 18, 2017, during his joint press conference with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. The President called the Russia investigation […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS The Department of Justice headed to Democratic Congressional demands and appointed a special counsel to investigate Russia’s interference with the 2016 presidential election. On Thursday evening, May 17, 2017, the Department of Justice announced that they appointed Former FBI Director Robert Mueller to conduct the Russia investigation. Two hours […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS Former FBI Director James Comey was the downfall for 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s presidential aspirations and now he might be President Donald Trump’s downfall. On Tuesday, May 16, 2017, the New York Times reported that after Comey met with the president at the White House he wrote a […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS President Donald Trump is taking his former reality show’s tagline “you’re fired” and applying it to his governing. Trump fired embattled FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday evening, May 9, 2017. Trump quickly created a firestorm in Washington over his abrupt firing of Comey. Comey just testified that the […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS For better or worse, the Republicans delivered on their promise to repeal and replace Obamacare. On Thursday afternoon, May 4, 2017, the House of Representatives passed a revised version of the American Health Care Act with a vote of 217 to 213, with 20 Republicans voting against the bill […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS Republicans in Congress failed to gain enough support to put the American Health Care Act to a vote on Friday, March 24, 2017. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan discussed with President Donald Trump the lack of votes, and they agreed to pull the bill. Conservatives in the House […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS Obamacare health care remains the law in the nation after Congressional Republicans failed to put their replacement the American Health Care Act (AHCA) to a vote. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-WI was unable to secure enough votes to pass the GOP replacement bill and pulled the bill […]

ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS PM Netanyahu’s Remarks at the Start of the Weekly Cabinet Meeting 25/12/2016 Source: PMO, 12-25-16 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting, made the following remarks: [Translated from Hebrew] “I share ministers’ feelings, anger and frustration vis-à-vis the unbalanced resolution that is […]

ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power’s Full Speech at the Security Council Source: Haaretz, 12-23-16 The full text of Samantha Power’s address to the Security Council concerning the resolution against Israeli settlements. The full text of Samantha Power’s address to the United Nations Security Council concerning […]

ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS Remarks by President Obama at Memorial Service for Former Israeli President Shimon Peres Source: WH, 9-30-16 Mount Herzl Jerusalem 11:14 A.M. IDT PRESIDENT OBAMA: Zvia, Yoni, Chemi and generations of the Peres family; President Rivlin; Prime Minister Netanyahu; members of the Israeli government and the Knesset; heads […]

ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS PM Netanyahu’s Speech at the United Nations General Assembly Source: PMO, 9-22-16 PM Netanyahu’s Speech at the United Nations General Assembly Photo by Kobi Gideon, GPO Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, What I’m about to say is going to shock you: Israel has a bright future at […]

ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel Before Bilateral Meeting Source: WH, 9-21-16 Lotte New York Palace Hotel New York, New York 12:58 P.M. EDT PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: Mr. President, it’s very good to see you again. First, I want to thank you for […]

ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS PM Netanyahu’s Remarks at the Memorial Ceremony for Those Who Fell During their Foreign Service Source: PMO, 10-10-16 The names of the 16 people from our Foreign Service who were killed during their service are engraved in iron and stone on the wall of commemoration behind me. […]

POLITICAL BUZZ

OBAMA PRESIDENCY & THE 113TH CONGRESS:

Remarks by the President in Personnel Announcements

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everybody. This afternoon, I’ll hold my first Cabinet meeting of my second term. And there will be some new faces, and there will be some familiar faces in new jobs. But there will also be some seats waiting to be filled on a permanent basis. And today, I’m announcing my plan to nominate three outstanding individuals to help us tackle some of our most important challenges.

One of those challenges is building on the work that we’ve done to control our own energy future while reducing pollution that contributes to climate change. And few people have played more of a role in addressing these issues than current Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. Steven has helped us to speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy. He’s given more of our brightest young scientists the opportunity to pursue the ideas that will shape our future. So I could not be more grateful to Steve for the incredible contribution that he’s made to this country.

And now that he’s decided to leave Washington for sunny California, I’m proud to nominate another brilliant scientist to take his place — Mr. Ernie Moniz. There’s Ernie right there. (Applause.)

Now, the good news is that Ernie already knows his way around the Department of Energy. He is a physicist by training, but he also served as Under Secretary of Energy under President Clinton. Since then, he’s directed MIT’s Energy Initiative, which brings together prominent thinkers and energy companies to develop the technologies that can lead us to more energy independence and also to new jobs.

Most importantly, Ernie knows that we can produce more energy and grow our economy while still taking care of our air, our water and our climate. And so I could not be more pleased to have Ernie join us. And he will be joined in that effort by my nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.

Over the last four years, Lisa Jackson and her team at the EPA have helped us to reduce emissions of the dangerous carbon pollution that causes climate change, put in place the toughest new pollution standards in two decades. Lisa is now ready for a well-deserved break. And I want to very much thank Bob Perciasepe, who’s not only been a great Deputy Administrator, but has also been acting as the Acting Administrator. So, please, Bob — everybody give Bob a big round of applause. (Applause.)

As we move forward, I think there is nobody who can do a better job in filling Lisa’s shoes permanently than my nominee who’s standing beside me here — Gina McCarthy. (Applause.)

Now, you wouldn’t know from talking to her, but Gina is from Boston. (Laughter.) And one of her proudest moments was yelling “Play ball!” at Fenway Park before a Red Sox game. But Gina has got plenty more to be proud of. As a top environmental official in Massachusetts and Connecticut, she helped design programs to expand energy efficiency and promote renewable energy. As Assistant EPA Administrator, Gina has focused on practical, cost-effective ways to keep our air clean and our economy growing. She’s earned a reputation as a straight shooter. She welcomes different points of views. I’m confident that she’s going to do an outstanding job leading the EPA.

So these two over here, they’re going to be making sure that we’re investing in American energy, that we’re doing everything that we can to combat the threat of climate change, that we’re going to be creating jobs and economic opportunity in the first place. They are going to be a great team. And these are some of my top priorities going forward.

But as President, one of the things you learn very quickly is that it’s not enough just to talk a big game; the real test is whether your priorities are reflected in a budget. And that’s where the rubber hits the road. That’s where my third nominee comes in.

Since I took office, Jeff Zients has served as America’s first Chief Performance Officer and the Deputy Director of the management — Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget. He’s made our government more efficient. He’s saved taxpayers a lot of money. He’s stepped in as Acting Director of OMB not once, but twice, including leading up to the fiscal cliff. So there’s no question that Jeff’s skill and versatility have served the American people very well. I expect it will continue to serve us well in the future.

In the meantime, I am confident that my nominee for OMB Director, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, is the right person to continue Jeff’s great work. (Applause.)

In the 1990s, when she was, what, 19 — (laughter) — Sylvia served under Jack Lew as Deputy Director of OMB — part of a team that presided over three budget surpluses in a row. Later, she helped the Gates Foundation grow into a global force for good, and then she helped the Walmart Foundation expand its charitable work. So Sylvia knows her way around a budget.

But as the granddaughter of Greek immigrants, she also understands that our goal when we put together a budget is not just to make the numbers add up. Our goal is also to reignite the true engine of economic growth in this country, and that is a strong and growing middle class — to offer ladders of opportunity for anybody willing to climb them.

Sylvia’s mom is here. And Sylvia loves to talk about her parents growing up in West Virginia and the values that they instilled in her as educators. And I think that reflects everything that Sylvia now does. And so I’m absolutely confident that she’s going to do a great job at OMB. And those values are especially important to remember now, as we continue to try and find a way forward in light of the budget cuts that are already starting to cost us jobs and hurt our economy.

As I said before, the American people are resilient. And I know that Jeff and Sylvia will do everything in their power to blunt the impact of these cuts on businesses and middle-class families. But eventually, a lot of people are going to feel some pain. That’s why we’ve got to keep on working to reduce our deficit in a balanced way — an approach that’s supported by the majority of the American people, including a majority of Republicans. And I’m confident that we can get there if people of goodwill come together.

So I want to thank Steve and Lisa and Jeff once more for their outstanding service, for all the great work that they’ve done in this administration over the last several years. I want to thank Ernie, Gina and Sylvia, and their families, for agreeing to take on these big roles.

I hope the Senate will confirm them as soon as possible, because we’ve got a lot of work to do and we cannot afford delay. But I can promise you that as soon as the Senate gives them the go ahead, they’re going to hit the ground running and they’re going to help make America a stronger and more prosperous country.

POLITICAL HEADLINES

OBAMA PRESIDENCY & THE 113TH CONGRESS:

THE HEADLINES….

Obama Announces Trio of Cabinet-Level Positions

Rounding out his second-term cabinet, President Obama on Monday announced his picks to run the budget office, Environmental Protection Agency and Energy Department.

The president named Gina McCarthy, who heads the EPA’s air and radiation office, as the agency’s next administrator, MIT physicist Ernest Moniz as Energy Secretary, and Walmart’s Sylvia Matthews Burwell as his next budget director….READ MORE